The invention relates generally to adhesive systems, and more particularly to those used to adhere flooring such as carpet, carpet tile (with various backings which include PVC, Polyolefin, polyurethane etc), vinyl composition tiles (VCT), luxury vinyl tiles and plank (LVT), wood, laminate floors, carpet padding and other flooring materials that can be secured in place with adhesive layers. The invention also generally relates to methods of making and using such adhesives.
There are generally two types of adhesives: two-component adhesives, and one-component adhesives. Two-component adhesives are generally formed with a resin component and a hardener component. In two-component adhesives, the resin and hardener are mixed immediately prior to application, causing a chemical reaction that permits the two-component adhesive to adhere to a substrate or surface. By contrast, one-component adhesives are typically solvent-based adhesives wherein an adhesive composition is mixed with a solvent. After the one-component adhesive is applied to a substrate or surface, the solvent evaporates, which permits the adhesive to cure. Examples of one-component adhesives that are known in the art include the adhesives described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,706,789 and 6,881,775, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Others are UV curable, pressure curable or otherwise.
Many products are assembled using adhesives. For example, various flooring products made from wood, vinyl, tile, carpet and so forth are permanently adhered to a surface or substrate, such as concrete or plywood flooring, through the use of an adhesive. Commonly-used adhesives in such applications include those sold under the trademarks Taylor Enviotec 2027 Pressure Sensitive Adhesive, which is sold by W.F. Taylor Co. of Fontana, Calif.
Traditionally, the adhesive is applied to the underlying substrate (such as plywood, concrete, and the like) with a notched trowel, or paint roller that meters the prescribed amount of adhesive to produce an adequate bond, or sprayed on to the floor using a spraying device. The flooring material is then applied over the adhesive in order to secure the flooring material to the substrate. The process can be time consuming, messy, and difficult to accomplish, particularly in large applications. These methods require the installer to be skilled in making sure that the proper tools are both selected and used correctly, and ensuring that the correct amount of adhesive is applied; otherwise the installation may fail.
After the application of the adhesive on the floor, the adhesive has to be allowed to dry to a pressure sensitive (tacky) state before the flooring covering can be installed. This process can take as long as several hours before the adhesive is ready to receive the floor covering. Failure to wait for this period can result in installation failure which can be very costly.
During this drying period the adhesive vehicle (which can be water, VOC's or in some cases noxious solvents) will escape to the atmosphere resulting in unpleasant odors in the installation environment and toxic fumes which sometimes produces a “sick building” syndrome. There is also the danger of that some of the adhesive may go on the face of the floor covering and damage it. Also most of these adhesive products are packaged in plastic containers that are not bio-degradable, at the end of their life cycle these containers can contribute to environmental pollution.
Some floor covering materials such as wood and carpet with vinyl or polyolefin backing are sensitive to moisture and solvent contained in the wet adhesive. When these products come into contact with these chemicals they can be damaged.
It is desirable to improve the versatility, cost and complexity of using adhesives to apply a variety of materials, and in particular, flooring materials. In view of the foregoing, there is a need for improved materials and methods for securing flooring and other products to a substrate with an adhesive.